Podcast
Cinematic Doctrine: A Movie Review Podcast Hosted by Christians
Hosted by CINDOC · EN
Cinematic Doctrine is a mature, millennial-infused film/tv discussion podcast from Melvin Benson that features Movie Discussions (conversational episodes about specific movies), Party Pleasers (movies fully-summarized from start to finish to discern if its a 'Party Pleaser' or 'Party Pooper'), and Let's Talks (prepared film-or-Christian related topical episodes). Influenced by Acts 17 and Romans 2:4. Podcast Magazine says Cinematic Doctrine "uses the shared value of human life as a springboard into deeper conversations". // CinematicDoctrine.com
42episodes
Episodes
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Superman (2025) - Curtains for Comic Book Movies?
Dec 2400:58:52Tap to summarizeSend us a Question!MOVIE DISCUSSION: Shirleon joins Melvin to discuss Superman (2025), James Gunn's latest superhero feature and first of the new DC Studios flicks! The two explore what they like, what they didn't like, how there's an earnest hope in this modern, live-action iteration of Clark Kent/Superman, and if they're excited for any upcoming DC Studios projects. And, because he likes numbers, Melvin breaks down the finances for 2025's comic book movies. Topics: (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 30-minutes discussing McDonald's entirely "AI" produced Christmas-themed commercial, how it was taken down after receiving intense backlash, and the many philosophical issues regarding "art" made by AI. (PATREON EXCLUSIVE)Shirleon feels pretty mid-to-good about Superman (2025).Melvin keeps it simple and starts with what he likes followed by his dislikes.There's a nostalgia that feels imbued within the style of the film.Are comic-book movies washed? Let's look at some numbers.Adjusting for inflation, Iron Man nearly cost the same to make as Superman (2025), yet the former outpaces the latter in being a "franchise starter" by a wide margin.Superman (2025) is the most profitable superhero movie of 2025, but it still didn't do crazy numbers at the box-office. Has the "superhero fatigue" officially set in?Why it's nice to watch a protagonist who is kind and hopeful.Discussing the ending and if they're interested in future DC Studios films.Recommendations: R.E.P.O. (2025) (Video Game)Rewatch a movie you love! Support the showSupport on Patreon for Unique Perks! Early access to uncut episodes Vote on a movie/show we review One-time reward of two Cinematic Doctrine Stickers & Pins Social Links: Threads Website Instagram Letterboxd Facebook Group
Transcribe →Podcast Update + A Royal Christmas Mini-Game
Dec 1000:12:09Tap to summarizeSend us a Question!UPDATE: I'm a Store Manager for a popular retail space. For obvious reasons this time of the year is extremely busy for me. Like previous years I thought I could handle my irl work and my podcast work, but that is not the case this year. For the time being, the only guaranteed episode to release in December 2025 is the Patreon-Selected movie at the end of the month. Any other releases this month have released by the skin of their teeth.In the meantime, enjoy this bonus semi-rerelease of a lil' mini-game I played with Chris Staron of Truce Podcast. If you want to hear the full episode this mini-game is from, tune in to this episode here. Support the showSupport on Patreon for Unique Perks! Early access to uncut episodes Vote on a movie/show we review One-time reward of two Cinematic Doctrine Stickers & Pins Social Links: Threads Website Instagram Letterboxd Facebook Group
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Welcome to Leith - w/ Peter Bell on the Complex Trauma of Ideological Imperialism
Mar 5, 202501:18:05Tap to summarizeSend us a textMOVIE DISCUSSION: Sons of Patriarchy: Podcast, Instagram, Website / Outreach Idaho: WebsitePeter Bell, host of the Sons of Patriarchy podcast, joins Melvin to discuss a little-seen 2015 documentary titled Welcome to Leith. As Peter podcasts about the ideological invasion of Douglas Wilson and Christian Nationalism over Moscow, Idaho, Melvin was reminded of the Welcome to Leith - a documentary about notorious white supremacist Craig Cobb's attempted local government takeover of Leith, North Dakota - and jumped at the opportunity to discuss it with Peter!Topics:(PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 30-minutes discussing the importance of including a mix of Christian & non-Christian voices in journalistic endeavors, the differences between the two, and how the pursuit of truth requires media literacy. (PATREON EXCLUSIVE)Peter ponders the relationship between truth and bravery, and teases out what to expect with Sons of Patriarchy Season 2.Similarities between the "invasions" of Moscow, Idaho and Leith, North Dakota, and also Douglas Wilson and Craig Cobb.Has the internet increased the danger of radicalization?It takes less than a year for an evil man to destabilize a community.The impact of complex trauma.How the Quiverfull Movement is actually just Birtherism; or better understood as familial slavery and eugenics.The end of the film and aftermath between 2015 and 2025.Recommendations:Barbie (2023) (Movie)42 (2013) (Movie)Katherine Stewart (Author)Marissa Burt (Author)Go outside! Be kind! Talk to strangers!The Book of Common Prayer (Book) (2019)My Scientology Movie (2015) (Documentary) Support the showSupport on Patreon for Unique Perks! Early access to uncut episodes Vote on a movie/show we review One-time reward of two Cinematic Doctrine Stickers & Pins Social Links: Threads Website Substack Instagram Facebook Group
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When Evil Lurks - The Penalty of Ignoring the Marginalized
Feb 26, 202501:26:18Tap to summarizeSend us a textPATREON MOVIE DISCUSSION: This movie was selected by our Patreon Supporters over at the Cinematic Doctrine Patreon. Support as little as $3 a month and have your voice heard! Kathryn joins Melvin to discuss our latest Patreon-picked movie, When Evil Lurks! This Argentinian horror flick made the rounds in 2023, catching a lot of attention and exploding in popularity once it landed on Shudder. It's also a combination of grounded & crazy! The two get into it all!Topics:(PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 20-minutes discussing the trailer for Jurassic World: Rebirth, Gareth Edwards' upcoming Summer blockbuster, and how it might be doing away with Trevorrow's... lackluster style and embrace being a horror-filled island adventure! (PATREON EXCLUSIVE)When Melvin received the push-notification that a Patreon Supporter had submitted When Evil Lurks for February's Patreon Pick, he audibly reacted. It's a visceral film, and the two talk about that for a bit.Is it weird to like a movie that's so pointedly miserable?Kathryn, "This movie just evoked in me a lot of 'social sadness'.".The film isn't drawing attention to it, but virtually every character within the film exists in a state of marginalization.When Evil Lurks has conviction. It trusts what it's doing, and it trusts you'll understand it.It's not as vicious as Terrifier 2, but the violence here is pretty nuts."Evil loves children. And children love evil."Discussing those two crazy shocking scenes in the film. You know the ones.When a system fails, the marginalized are the first to suffer.Discussing the ending and how it left us.Recommendations:Becoming Free Indeed: My Story of Disentangling Faith from Fear by Jinger Vuolo (2024) (Book)Terrified (2017) (Movie) Support the showSupport on Patreon for Unique Perks! Early access to uncut episodes Vote on a movie/show we review One-time reward of two Cinematic Doctrine Stickers & Pins Social Links: Threads Website Substack Instagram Facebook Group
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The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou - Legacy, Renewal, and Fish
Feb 19, 202501:10:33Tap to summarizeSend us a textMOVIE DISCUSSION: Kathryn joins Melvin to discuss The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, Wes Anderson’s follow-up to The Royal Tenenbaums. It’s comedy, it’s drama, it’s silly outfits are all on the table as the two explore ideas of legacy, found-family, and so much more.Topics:(PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 37-minutes discussing the games Kathryn & Melvin are playing, including an "uglicy" in Sims 3 and reflections on over and decade of Call of Duty games. (PATREON EXCLUSIVE)Kathryn has seen more Wes Anderson movies than Melvin, and something about his style was getting to her. Melvin, however, really enjoyed the film.Melvin shares what resonated with him, contrasting it with what he felt The Royal Tenenbaums wasn't able to do a year ago.Steve Zissou is constantly thinking about his future, and is clearly ruminating on his past, and the film takes these things to task as it orients him toward his present.One's legacy is at the forefront of the film, and this is contrasted against nature's beautiful indifference.Kathryn, "...the emotional heart of this movie is definitely Ned."Discussing the ending, and why Melvin loved it so much.Recommendations:And Then We Grew Up: On Creativity, Potential, and the Imperfect Art of Adulthood by Rachel Friedman (2019) (Book)The Peanut Butter Solution (1985) (Movie) Support the showSupport on Patreon for Unique Perks! Early access to uncut episodes Vote on a movie/show we review One-time reward of two Cinematic Doctrine Stickers & Pins Social Links: Threads Website Substack Instagram Facebook Group
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Pride & Prejudice (1995) - w/ Marissa Burt on Patriarchy, Feminism, Shame, & Marriage
Feb 12, 202501:23:39Tap to summarizeSend us a textMINI-SERIES DISCUSSION: Marissa Burt: Instagram, Substack, Author PagePre-Order: The Myth of Good Christian Parenting: How False Promises Betrayed a Generation of Evangelical Families by Marissa Burt & Kelsey McGinnisMarissa Burt returns to the podcast to discuss the BBC's 1995 adaption of Pride & Prejudice! Ready for some quintessential girl-cinema? We've got so much to chew on! Tune in now!Topics:(PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 41-minutes playing a guessing-game called "Douglas, Dobson, Driscoll, and Tate" where guest Marissa Burt will hear a sourced quote and have to attribute it to the correct manosphere pastor or figure-head. Then, after every few quotes, the two discuss what makes them so bad! (PATREON EXCLUSIVE)Marissa shares about her upcoming book The Myth of Good Christian Parenting: How False Promises Betrayed a Generation of Evangelical Families, coauthored with Kelsey Kramer McGinnis, and Melvin asks why Christian's still think spanking is biblical (protip: it's not).Marissa has rewatched Pride & Prejudice several times over and loves revisiting this Austen classic.Melvin really enjoyed Pride & Prejudice, not only because he enjoys “chickflicks” or “girl cinema” but also because the dialogue is extremely good.Celebrating Elizabeth’s independence, and how women at the time had to be clever to flourish in such passive, deeply rooted subjugation.How the culture exploits its women, and how some women use this exploitation to their advantage rather than rejecting it.Talking about Elizabeth and Darcy, two amazing characters.Exploring the ending's showcase on marriage.Recommendations:Becoming Jane (2007) (Movie)Mr. Darcy & Miss Tilney Mystery Book Series (2022-2025)Jennifer's Body (2009) (Movie) Support the showSupport on Patreon for Unique Perks! Early access to uncut episodes Vote on a movie/show we review One-time reward of two Cinematic Doctrine Stickers & Pins Social Links: Threads Website Substack Instagram Facebook Group
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A Quiet Place: Day One - The Best Quiet Place (So Far!)
Feb 5, 202501:15:34Tap to summarizeSend us a textMOVIE DISCUSSION: Shirleon joins Melvin to discuss the first non-Krasinski sequel to a wildly popular and super accessible horror/thriller series, A Quiet Place: Day One! Director Michael Sarnoski is tasked with seeing our story through New York City, tossing in some immense heart and drama into an otherwise concession-filled franchise. But, of course he did. He directed Pig, after all!Topics:(PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 24-minutes discussing an article on deadline titled "James Mangold Doesn't Want To Be "Handcuffed" To 'Star Wars' Lore", some comments to this headline & article Melvin noticed, and general frustration with the concept of "Fandom". (PATREON EXCLUSIVE)First things first: you don’t have to watch the first two films to enjoy A Quiet Place: Day One. It’s entirely its own thing with its own characters.Apart from an apocalyptic event, Shirleon didn’t know what to expect. By the end, she’d been completely won over, tears and all.Celebrating Eric, Joseph Quinn’s character, as a well-rounded man who is expressive, emotional, and brave, rather than some testosterone-led survival aficionado ready to fight some aliens.Melvin felt this was the best of the three films by a long shot.Reading the poem “Bad Math”, then discussing our interpretations.The significance of the pizza, and healthy uses of fantasy.Discussing the ending.Recommendations:The Terror (2018) (TV-Series)The Endurance (2015) (Book)The Book of Henry (2017) (Movie) Support the showSupport on Patreon for Unique Perks! Early access to uncut episodes Vote on a movie/show we review One-time reward of two Cinematic Doctrine Stickers & Pins Social Links: Threads Website Substack Instagram Facebook Group
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I Saw the TV Glow - Emotionally Devastating
Jan 29, 202501:31:32Tap to summarizeSend us a textPATREON MOVIE DISCUSSION: This movie was selected by our Patreon Supporters over at the Cinematic Doctrine Patreon. Support as little as $3 a month and have your voice heard!Kathryn joins Melvin to discuss Jane Schoenbrun's I Saw the TV Glow! Owen's curiosity in a late-night television show called "The Pink Opaque" leads him to meet Maddy, an upper-classmen at his school. Sounds normal, but it's an off-beat arthouse coming-of-age psychological drama (with a tinge of horror) from the director of We're All Going to the World's Fair, so of course there's more to it! Tune in now!Topics:Most people over the age of, like, 40 years will likely reject the film as too weird or too complex, as a lot of what's at play is very late Millennial/Gen Z.Melvin found the film "emotionally devastating", and begins to explore what that means to him.A lot of dialogue personally connected with Melvin, whereas a lot of visuals personally connected with Kathryn, and the two share specifics.Melvin shares how Cinematic Doctrine hasn't really talked about LGBTQIA+ topics on the podcast because it's such a loaded topic in the Christian community. Even so, one of I Saw the TV Glow's main topics of exploration is gender identity and fluidity, and how it correlates to the coming-of-age experience. As such, they get into the weeds.Does it really make sense to gender-restrict activities when they have nothing to do with one’s born-sexuality? How do things in the real world become representative of genitalia?Television may exist in I Saw the TV Glow to represent desire, and the dichotomy between getting lost in the fantasies of our desires or being propelled to act on our desires.Owen's decision at the end of the film hits the way it does because he's finally making a decision about what he's endured the whole film.I Saw the TV Glow is extremely dense and profoundly nuanced, and Melvin is positive that Kathryn and he have barely scratched the surface.Recommendations:Jim Henson Idea Man (2024) (Documentary)Smile 2 (2024) (Movie) Support the showSupport on Patreon for Unique Perks! Early access to uncut episodes Vote on a movie/show we review One-time reward of two Cinematic Doctrine Stickers & Pins Social Links: Threads Website Substack Instagram Facebook Group
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Journey to Bethlehem - A Conviction of Fiction
Dec 25, 202401:13:07Tap to summarizeSend us a textPATREON MOVIE DISCUSSION: This movie was selected by our Patreon Supporters over at the Cinematic Doctrine Patreon. Support as little as $3 a month and have your voice heard!Shirleon & Melvin wish you a Merry Christmas while discussing a Family-friendly biblical musical, Journey to Bethlehem! The story is simple - a dramatization of the birth of King Jesus - but what about the music? And more importantly, how is it as a biblical adaptation? Tune in to find out!Topics: (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 23-minutes discussing Shirleon & Melvin reflecting on the movies they’ve discussed through 2024, whether they have any new feelings about them, and the experience of improving one’s critical thinking. (PATREON EXCLUSIVE)Spoilers are truly irrelevant for discussing the adaption of the immaculate conception and birth of King Jesus, so Shirleon and Melvin kick things off strong talking about everything.Shirleon was moved by two songs: Mother To A Savior And King & In My Blood.Melvin felt it wasn't really his thing, and the whole of the project felt largely forgettable.Discussing how virtually every musical number could be removed because they weren't integrated into the plot or pacing of the film.Shirleon & Melvin disagree on some things, and the two go back and forth.Talking Lacrae as the angel Gabriel. Or, as Melvin calls it, "Lacrangel".Is the song Mary's Getting Married supposed to be a Feminist or Trad Wife anthem? It's messaging is unclear.No matter how minimal, Melvin never overcame a perpetual unease over the film's alterations of the biblical account.Recommendations: One by One by Ruth Ware (2021) (Book)The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley (2020) (Book)Top of the Morning Coffee (Blueberry Blast, specifically)Terrifier 2 (2022) (Movie) Support the showSupport on Patreon for Unique Perks! Early access to uncut episodes Vote on a movie/show we review One-time reward of two Cinematic Doctrine Stickers & Pins Social Links: Threads Website Substack Instagram Facebook Group
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Hot Frosty - The Hottest Movie of 2024!
Dec 18, 202401:17:09Tap to summarizeSend us a textPARTY PLEASER: Shirleon, Kathryn, and Melvin summarize Winter-2024's most discussed film... Hot Frosty! Excited for some seasonal silliness? They've got you covered, along with some fun commentary as well! Tune in now! Topics:(PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 25-minutes of Kathryn and Shirleon figuring out which review-blurb from RottenTomatoes goes to which poorly rated Sony Spider-Man(less) Universe film; Morbius, Madame Web, or Kraven the Hunter! (PATREON EXCLUSIVE)Hot Frosty is clearly evoking some Hallmark motifs – Lacey Chabert notwithstanding – so how does it compare to the standard visual profile of a Hallmark feature?Craig Robinson can be fun, but his police-officer character was more irritating than enjoyable, save for one or two jokes.Hot Frosty gender-swaps the “Born Beautiful Yesterday” trope that so many films have explored (and is closely related to the “Fish Out of Water” trope). How does the gang feel about this?Can a man be kind without the magic of Christmas?Recommendations:Jay & Miles X-Plain the X-Men (Podcast)They Live (1988) (Movie)Dungeon Crawler Carl: A LitRPG/Gamelit Adventure (Audio Book) (2021) Support the showSupport on Patreon for Unique Perks! Early access to uncut episodes Vote on a movie/show we review One-time reward of two Cinematic Doctrine Stickers & Pins Social Links: Threads Website Substack Instagram Facebook Group
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